GREENSBORO, N.C. — The spending for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday has been going on all weekend, as people hunt for those low prices on holiday gifts amid rising inflation.
Non-profits are also dealing with those inflated prices and that's where your help is needed.
Non-profits in Greensboro have seen an increase in people who need help with the necessities and with inflation taking a toll, the organizations are hoping Giving Tuesday allows them to keep their giving going.
If you spent 50 dollars:
It's clear, the organizations need help. For those looking to give, we took a closer look at where your money would go.
It might go farther than you'd expect.
Greensboro Urban Ministry:
At Greensboro Urban Ministry, Marketing and Communications Director Christine Ringuette said that 50 dollars would turn into 150 dollars, because the non-profit buys food in bulk.
"We can take one dollar and turn it into three when it comes time for food because we buy in bulk, so 50 dollars would become 150," said Ringuette.
Urban Ministry serves roughly 2800 hot meals a week and provides groceries to more than 100 households, or 2000 people, through their pantry each week.
"Our biggest need right now, without question, is for the households that make below $50,000," said Ringuette. "They're just not really able to get the groceries that they need and our food pantry continues to see numbers well above the numbers that we use usually see."
Ringuette said the issue is wages have not come up, but the costs for everything has, so a lot of people are struggling.
"We are not seeing any ease up, we just keep seeing the demand every week, more and more people asking for help, so any help is helpful because there's a neighbor probably right near you that needs help or isn't eating every meal," said Ringuette.
Ringuette's big goal would be getting 30,000 dollars so the group could serve 10,000 meals. She said that doesn't cover all food programs for a whole month, but it comes close enough.
"It would be 30,000 dollars but the first 2,000 dollars that is given from anybody will be matched by Buick GMC will match the first 2,000 dollars they were given, so that'll instantly become four, so if you just give five dollars, it'll become 10 dollars, thanks to them," she said.
BackPack Beginnings:
For BackPack Beginnings, it helps more than 1500 Guilford County School Students, buy giving them food every Friday.
If someone gave 50 dollars, Program Director, Mallory Goodman, said it would pay for 10 of those backpacks filled with food.
"50 dollars can go a long way and if you average about 5 dollars a bag, you're impacting many children," said Goodman.
The organizations asking for 250,000 dollars for their end of the year campaign.
"We're like 3,000 dollars in, but we have a four person paid staff here, so everyone else is a volunteer, so any of that money that comes in, and any of those volunteers that are willing to give up their time, it's just everyone working together to help support the kids here in Guilford County," said Goodman. "Our food donations have been down 50% Over the last five months, when that inflation hit we have definitely been experiencing that."
BackPack Beginnings also supplies clothing, groceries for families and other household items. The need for those items are great as well. They also plan to hold an open house.
"We want to open our doors on Tuesday, December 6, for a community open house so you can see where your donations go, how the money is used, what programs that we offer for families in Guilford County," she said. "It's from 11am to 3pm. for people that are interested in how to give and how to be a part in how to partner with us here at BackPack Beginnings."
Senior Resources of Guilford:
The Senior Resources of Guilford works with Meals on Wheels to deliver food for seniors.
Chief Operating Officer, Christy Collum, said 50 dollars would pay for about seven meals.
"The meals are about 7.25 a meal, so do the math, if we're doing 550 of those a day, it really adds up," Collum said. "It's not only the hot meal, it's also a little bit of a wellness check, so that they know someone cares."
Collum said they also buy Christmas gifts for seniors.
"We do almost 900 bags of items, such as blankets, gloves, hats, toiletries, books that they can use for activities, calendars, and we combined compile all of these things that have been donated from the community," she said.
They also provide food for Seniors with pets.
"Many of our seniors have pets, but they don't have the ability to afford the pet food, so one of our programs is also that we deliver pet food to some of our meals on wheels clients," said Collum.
Collum said they hope Giving Tuesday helps them afford more meals for seniors. She also hopes seniors don't get overlooked.
"Honestly, they are one of the most overlooked and yet growing, baby boomers, segment of our population, everything from providing referrals for them for housing, food, anything that that they need, that's what we're about," she said.
All three organizations said that if you don't have the ability to help, come volunteer because there is a shortage of help.